AES+F

Beaubourg

Beaubourg, part of AES+F's "Islamic Project" series, depicts the Centre Pompidou, Paris, obliterated by oriental carpets, various types of Middle Eastern looking architecture, and a large headdress wearing crowd. The image is to represent stereotypical fears of what radical Islam is and might become in a world dominated by politically loaded myths. By juxtaposing extremes the artist collective aims to highlight the absurdity of suchlike world views.

AES+F: "We never have ideas that intend to agitate someone. We know people who are disturbed by the political contents of our art, but they are usually orthodox right-wing or orthodox left-wing. Our audience are people with an open mind without stereotypes. And yet, we are unable to control the uses of our images by people form a very vast political spectrum. It is for example possible to find images of the "Islamic Project" series on right wing American websites and simultaneously at demonstrations against (the involvement of the US in Iraq and Afghanistan)."